Extension fitting for a tension belt

ABSTRACT

A mounting is disclosed for lengthening a clamping strap on which is arranged a strap tie element which may detachably engage the holding profile of a counterpiece. The mounting consists of a plate provided with the holding profile and of a ring for inserting the lengthening strap.

SPECIFICATION

The invention relates to an extension fitting for a tension belt, towhich a belt anchor is affixed, which can be made to engage with theholder profile of a counterpiece, so as to be released again.

Such belts are used in order to secure air freight in an airplane.Freight planes have holder profiles to hold belt anchors on bearingparts of the fuselage. Likewise, the freight pallets that are used haveholder profile rails all around to hold the belt anchors.

The belts have standard lengths, which can be too short for certainapplications. According to the state of the art, there are onlymakeshift solutions for extending the belts, and these do notsatisfactorily fulfill the high safety demands. These makeshiftsolutions are accompanied by the risk of transport damage.

It is the task of the invention to create an extension fitting whichallows secure tension belt lengthening, particularly for air freightuse, while offering a high level of operating convenience.

This task is accomplished with an extension fitting which consists of aplate with the holder profile and an eye for affixing an extension belt.The extension belt can be a standard tension belt similar to the beltthat is being extended.

In a preferred embodiment, the eye is arranged on the side of the plateopposite the holder profile.

A belt anchor in the form of a belt end fitting also has an eye foraffixing the belt. The eye of the extension fitting is preferablyarranged in the plate in such a manner that it lies opposite the eye ofa belt anchor fixed in the holder profile. Tension forces which act onthe belts are thus optimally transferred with the extension fitting.

The plate of the extension fitting is preferably essentiallyrectangular. The holder profile can consist of two claws which start atopposite sides of the plate and are directed towards each other, whichessentially have a C profile.

The belt anchor preferably has a foot which fits between the claws ofthe holder profile, with at least one anchor mushroom which projectsfrom it on both sides. The head of the anchor mushroom fits into the Cprofile of the claws. The claws are provided with at least one recessand/or widened region to introduce the anchor mushroom.

The belt anchor can have a single mushroom. The claws of the extensionfitting then preferably have widened regions on both sides, in thelongitudinal direction of the profile, through which the head of theanchor mushroom can be introduced into the holder profile.

However, the belt anchor can also have two mushrooms. Preferably, theclaws are then provided with two recesses, offset in the longitudinaldirection of the profile, through which the heads of the two anchormushrooms can be introduced into the holder profile.

Finally, the belt anchor can also have three mushrooms. Preferably, theclaws are then provided with three recesses, offset in the longitudinaldirection of the profile, through which the heads of the three anchormushrooms can be introduced into the holder profile.

The anchor mushrooms and a bolt of the belt anchor can be circular. Therecesses of the claws are preferably circle segments which lie acrossfrom one another in pairs, the periphery of which lies on a commoncircle.

The invention is explained in more detail below, on the basis of theembodiments shown in the drawing, which shows:

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a two-mushroom belt anchor and an extensionfitting which works together with it;

FIG. 2 aside view of the two-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 3 a cross-section through the two-mushroom belt anchor along theline III--III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 a side view of the extension fitting which works together withthe two-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 5 a front view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 a top view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 a front view of a single-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 8 a side view of the single-mushroom belt anchor with the view inthe direction VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 a front view of an extension fitting which works together withthe single-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 10 a side view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection X of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 a top view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection XI of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 a side view of a three-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 13 a cross-section through the three-mushroom belt anchor along theline XIII--XIII in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 a side view of the extension fitting which works together withthe three-mushroom belt anchor;

FIG. 15 a front view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection XV o FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 a top view of the extension fitting with the view in thedirection XVI of FIG. 14.

The extension fitting 10 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 consistsof a longish rectangular plate 12, which is ovally rounded at the ends.At the bottom of the plate 12, a stirrup 14 is arranged in the centerlongitudinal plane, which forms an eye 16 for affixing a belt, togetherwith the plate 12. The stirrup 14 has the basic shape of a trapezoid.Its stirrup back 18, which consists of round material, essentiallyextends parallel to the plate 12. The stirrup shanks 20, 22 are inclinedin the longitudinal direction on both sides, and are widened in thelongitudinal and the lateral direction like a rounded pyramid. Onestirrup shank 20 starts on one lateral side of the plate 12, and theother stirrup shank 22 starts approximately in the middle of the plate.

On the top of the plate 12, a holder profile is formed, which consistsof two claws 24 which extend along the longitudinal sides of the plate12, over its length. The claws 24 have a C profile, the C back 26 ofwhich extends upwards, perpendicular to the plane of the plate, on thelongitudinal plane side, and makes a transition to a C shank 28, whichprojects inward above the plane of the plate, so that the C shanks 28are directed towards each other. There is a gap remaining between the Cshanks 28. In total, the holder profile has a T profile opening whichextends in the longitudinal direction of the plate.

The C shank 28 of the claws 24 are each provided with two recesses 30,32 which are offset in the longitudinal direction of the plate and havethe shape of circle segments. The recesses 30, 32 lie across from oneanother in pairs. The outer periphery of each pair of recesses 30, 32lies on a common circle around an axis perpendicular to the plane of theplate. A rear pair of recesses 30 is located close to the lateral sideof the plate 12 which lies opposite the start of the stirrup 14. Thefront pair of recesses 32 is arranged at about two-thirds of the platelength, farther away from the other lateral side. In front of the frontpair of recesses 32 as well as between the pairs of recesses 30, 32, theC shanks 28 of the claws 24 form holder ridges 34.

The belt anchor 36 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 engages in the holderprofile. The belt anchor 36 has a foot 38 which fits between the claws24 of the holder profile. Lugs 40, 42 which project outward on bothsides start in the bottom region of the foot 38; these have the shape ofcircle segments. Two pairs of lugs 40, 42 which lie opposite each otherare provided, offset in the longitudinal direction; their periphery lieson a common circle. Each pair of lugs 40, 42 forms an anchor mushroom ofthe two-mushroom belt anchor 36.

The holder profile of the extension fitting 10 is dimensioned in such away that the anchor mushrooms fit into the recesses 30, 32 of the claws24 as well as into their C profile openings, i.e. below the holderridges 34, with play.

A stirrup 44 proceeds upwards from the ridge 34 of the belt anchor 36,which stirrup forms an eye 46 to affix a belt, together with the ridge34. Behind the stirrup 44, a guide for a bolt 48 is molded onto theridge 34. The bolt 48 is round, is guided on the ridge 34 so as to beadjustable in height, and held down by a spring.

To lengthen the belt the belt anchor 36 is inserted into the holderprofile recesses 30, 32 of the extension fitting 10 with its anchormushrooms. In an initial slanted position, the bolt 48 rests against thetop of the holder profile. By pressing the belt anchor 36 down andpushing it forward, the bolt 48 is raised against the force of thespring, until it engages in the rear pair of recesses 30. In the engagedposition, the anchor mushrooms are below the holder ridges 34 of theclaws 24. The eyes 16, 46 of the belt anchor 36 and the extensionfitting 10 lie opposite one another.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a single-mushroom belt anchor 60 with a T profileshaped guide piece 62, in the profile opening of which a circular anchormushroom 64 is held. The anchor mushroom 64 is seated on a cylindricalshaft 66, which projects into the profile back 68 of the guide piece 62through a guide bore. The outer end of the shaft is drilled open and aring-shaped eye 72 is set into the bore 70. A spiral pressure spring 74which surrounds the shaft 66, which rests against the profile backoutside of the guide piece 62 on the one end and on the eye 72 on theother end puts pressure on the anchor mushroom 64 in a position in whichit rests against the inside edge of the profile back of the guide piece62.

FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 show an extension fitting 76 for the single-mushroombelt anchor 60. The extension fitting 76 is significantly shorter thanthe extension fitting 10 described before. The basic outline of itsplate 12 is approximately square. The holder profile of the extensionfitting 76 has holder ridges 34 in the center and widened regions 50 onboth sides, through which the anchor mushroom 64 of the belt anchor canbe introduced into the holding position. The extension fitting 76 fitsinto the T profile opening of the single-mushroom belt anchor 60. Forthe remainder, the previous description applies analogously.

FIG. 12 and 13 show a three-mushroom belt anchor 78, which is longerthan the two-mushroom belt anchor and is provided with three instead oftwo anchor mushrooms 80, but otherwise is essentially the same inconstruction as the two-mushroom belt anchor 36.

FIG. 14 to FIG. 16 show an extension fitting 82 for the three-mushroombelt anchor 78. The extension fitting 82 is longer than the extensionfitting 10 for the two-mushroom belt anchor 36. Its holder profile hasthree pairs of recesses 52, 54, 56 for the three anchor mushrooms 80 ofthe belt anchor 78. For the remainder, the previous description appliesanalogously.

List of Reference Symbols

10 extension fitting

12 plate

14 stirrup

16 eye

18 stirrup back

20 stirrup shank

22 stirrup shank

24 claw

26 C back

28 C shank

30 recess

32 recess

34 holder ridge

36 two-mushroom belt anchor

38 foot

40 lug

42 lug

44 stirrup

46 eye

48 bolt

50 widened region

52 recess

54 recess

56 recess

60 single-mushroom belt anchor

62 guide piece

64 anchor mushroom

66 shaft

68 profile back

70 bore

72 eye

74 spiral pressure spring

76 extension fitting

78 three-mushroom belt anchor

80 anchor mushroom

82 extension fitting

I claim:
 1. An extension fitting for an extension clamping belt for usein a clamping belt assembly having a belt anchor with an eyelet for aclamping belt and a foot with at least one anchor mushroom having alaterally-extruding enlarged head, said extension fitting comprising:agenerally elongated plate having a top side, a bottom side, oppositelongitudinal ends and opposite lateral ends; two claws joined toopposite lateral ends of said plate and projected outwardly from one ofsaid sides of said plate, each of said claws having free ends extendingtoward one another to define a slotted recess therebetween; an eyeletattached to the other of said sides of said plate for an extensionclamping belt, said eyelet being disposed on said other side of saidplate such that it will be opposite said eyelet of said belt anchorwhich said enlarged head of said anchor mushroom is introduced in saidslotted recess between said claws joined to said plate.
 2. An extensionfitting according to claim 1, wherein the said plate is substantiallyrectangular.
 3. An extension fitting according to claim 1, wherein saidclaws each have a generally C-shaped profile and cooperate to define aC-shaped opening therebetween.
 4. An extension fitting according toclaim 3, wherein said foot of said belt anchor fits between said claws,and said head of said anchor mushroom fits into said C-shaped openingdefined by said claws.
 5. An extension fitting according to claim 1,wherein said claws define at least one of said slotted recesses and arefurther provided with at least one widened recess opening adjacent toand communicating with said slotted recess for removably introducingsaid anchor mushroom into said slotted recess.
 6. An extension fittingaccording to claim 1, wherein said belt anchor has a single mushroom,and said claws have a pair of widened recess openings on both sides ofsaid slotted recess, arranged in the longitudinal direction of saidplate.
 7. An extension fitting according to claim 1, wherein said beltanchor has two spaced-apart mushrooms, and said claws are provided withtwo recess openings, spaced apart longitudinally in the longitudinaldirection of said plate, for introducing the two mushroom anchors.
 8. Anextension fitting according to claim 1, wherein said belt anchor hasthree spaced-apart mushrooms, and said claws are provided with threerecess openings, spaced apart longitudinally in the longitudinaldirection of the said plate, for introducing the three mushroom anchors.9. An extension fitting according to claim 1, wherein said recessopenings each comprise a pair of circular segments which lie oppositeone another, the periphery of each pair of which lies on a commoncircle.